Bag or package



J. A. FARMER SeptQZl, 1937.

BAG OR PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 14. J.935

J. A. FARMER BAG OR PACKAGE Sept. 21, 1937.

' Filed Dec. 14, 1-935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bill! nilllillnlllliunllll l I III a showing the bag equipped carryinghandle; and

Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE BAG on PACKAGE JohnA. Farmer, Lancaster, Pa.

Application December 14, 1935, Serial No. 54,477

' Claims. ((51. 229 s2) This invention relates to closures for bags andmore particularly for bags of paper and the like such as are used inconnection with the packag- 7 ing and sale of finely divided material.

In my prior copending application, Serial No.

42,345, I have shown and described a bag closure consisting of a tab ofcardboard or the like applied over the mouth of the bag and cemented on.1 The present invention seeks to still further improve and cheapen theclosure, and to this endv the invention contemplates closing the bag byfolding over the end thereof and securing the folded-over portions bymeans of a sealing strip or tape.

The present invention still further contemplates an additional step offirst closing the mouth of the bag by primary fastening means, beforefolding over, andthen applying a sealing strip such as above mentioned,in order to obtain an absolutely tight seal.

A further feature of the present invention'consists in the provision ofa handle by means of which the closed bag may readily be carried fromplace to place.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and inwhich: Q

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a bag showing the first step in formingmy improved closure;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale, substantially on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the bag after completionof the second or final sealing step;

Fig. 3' is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale substantially onthe line H of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

' Fig. 4 is a vertical section substantially on the line H of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 3, but showing theappearance of the opposite or front side of the bag;

l-"ig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing a modifiedconstruction in which only a single sealing means is employed; V a

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a row of stitchingemployed as the primary fasten--.

ing means;

- Fig.-8 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 6, but including thefastening means shown in Fig. 9 is a view slmilar' to Fig. 5, butillustrating Q a different method of cutting the. bag to form a 55 dispnsin opening;

\ Fig. 10 is aside elevation similar to Fig.-5-but mg. 11 is a verticalsection on with my improved.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and more particularly first toFigs. 1 to 6 thereof, I desigaccording to the present invention, I bringthe upper end portions of the bag together in flat relation and firstplace over the same a primary sealing strip or tape 3which may be formedof paper, cellulose film, or the like, and which is secured in positionby adhesive cement.

This strip comprises relatively long and short skirts 3 and 3 whichembrace the mouth of the bag, and projects at its .ends a substantialdistance beyond the side edges of the bag, as illustrated at 3 at theleft of Fig. 1. After the strip has been applied over the mouth of thebag as described, the projecting ends are folded around and caused toadhere to the side of the "bag. Although, adjacent the. upper edge,where the short skirt is folded back upon itself, there isno adhesion,the cement on the inside of the long skirt portion .of the strip amplysecures the folded ends in position. Thus, by my improved method ofapplying this primary sealing strip, I efiectively seal not only the endbut also the sides of the bag mouth, thereby preventing any appreciabledusting out of powdered material.

The end of the bag having this first .or primary sealing strip appliedthereto, is then folded over at I, as shown in Fig. 4,.and a second ormain sealing strip 4 applied thereto. As clearly shown in Fig. 4, thissealing strip 4 forms a bond between or unites the primary strip 3 withthe adjacent side wall of the bag and is preferablyalso secured in placeby suitableadhesive cement. A

convenient way of doing this is to first coat the strip {with gum orcement and then apply it against the side of the upper portion of thefolded-over bag, asishown.

the ends of the sealing strip into the gusset at each side of the bag,as described, results in an exceptionally strong and tight closure;

Fig. 5 shows the side of the bag opposite that illustrated inFlg. 3, ardI preferably place upon this side of the bag itself a diagonal dottedline 1, asin my prior copending application S. N. 1 6, 7, flled August15.1935, inorder to define .a line of severance along which the cornerof a maybe of almost any desired shapeexceptthatthebagmeybecutoffsoast'oformapouring upper end of the crease line 2 ofthe gusset, as

shown at 1 in Fig. 5, in order to free the gusset so that it may bepulled out to form a pouring spout, the same as in my said prior.applications. Also as shown in Fig. 5, I reiferably print upon the bag acurved line such shown at I, to simulate the edge of a closure tab suchas illustrated in my said prior application Serial No. 42,345.

I also contemplate forming a closure without the use of the primarysealing strip 3. In this case, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the upper endportions of the bag are simply folded .over and secured by means of thesealing strip 4, the ends of this strip extending around into thegussets, as above described. This type of seal is satisfactory in manycases, but the type shown in Figs. 3 and 4, employing the primary strip3, in addition to the main strip 4, may be preferred in order tosubstantially prevent dusting through of exceedingly fine material suchas flour, or the escape of odors from material such as fertilizer;

As a further modification, I propose to employ a row of stitching as theprimary fastenins means, in place of the strip,3. This is shown in Fig.7, in which the row of stitching is indicated at 0, and may be appliedby means of any suitable type of sewing machine- The end of the bag,having first been closed by the stitching. is

then folded over as shown in Fig. 8, and sealed by means of the sealingstrip 4, the same as in Figs. 3 to 6. p

For the effective dispensing or scattering of some types of finelydivided materials such as certain garden supplies or powderedinsecticides, a

pouring spout such as above described is undesirable. For suchmaterials, I prefer to place the diagonal line of severance in such aposition that, when the corner is cut off along such line, the gusset isnot released. This is illustrated in Fig. 9, in which the out line 1',formed on the bag wall, intersects the bag endat a point 'I' lyingoutside of the fold line or crease 2' of the gusset. In this case, thecutting results in forming a pair of narrow openings or slits throughwhich the powdered material may be dusted and uniformly dispensed, asshown in my prior co-pending application Serial No. 42,345, filedSeptember 26, 1935.

I have found that the type of closure herein illustrated, namely, aclosure which comprises folding over the end portions of the bag,aflords anunusually simple and eflicient means for attaching a carryinghandle.- This is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, in which the handle,indicated by the character 8, is shown as comprising a ball or loop ofstiff wire or the like. 'lhisloop is interrupted or broken at the pointI. Theloop' is shown as substantially rectangular, but

the lower portion thereof should be straight. The handle loop is appliedby inserting .it in. the fold l of the bag, as clearly shown in Figs. 10and ii.

In other words, the end portions of the bag are;

simply folded around the straight portion; of the wire loop and thensecured in In H8. 11, the folded end portions of the bag as secured bythe strip I, but, so far as this method.

of attaching the handle is concerned, the foldedove portions may besecured by other means. Also. of course, I contemplate employing ahandle to one side of the bag. This makes it possible,

tionstotheadiacentbegwall. of this characterinconnection with the typesm of closuge shownin Figs. 3. 4, 'I and 8, as well as Fig.

Itwillbenotedthat,byvirtueofthefactthst the portion of the wire loopenclosed within the fold of the bag is straight, the loop may swing 5around this straight portion as an axis into a position at either sideof the has, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 11. In this way, thehandle may be turned into a. position. so that it lies flat against thebag and thus does not interfere with thepacking of the filled bags incartons for shipment or storage.

Itwillbenoted alsothatthebreakl'inthe wire loop is located within thefold relatively close by pushing the handle toward the side of the bogadjacent the break, as, for example, the left, as viewed in Fig. 10, todisengage the short end of thestraight portion of the handle from thefold of the bag, and then the long end can be readily withdrawn.Obviously the handle must be removed before the cprner can be cut oilalong the dotted line 'I to form a pouring opening.

Finally, as shown in Fig. 10, I prefer to round or' bend over theabutting ends of the straight portion of the wire loop, as indicated att", in order to avoid sharp points which might be likely to injure thehand of the user.

What! claim is: 1. A package comprising .a flexible, bellows- -sided baghaving infolded portions at the sides into said gussets, and cementedthereto.

2. A package comprising a flexible, bellowssided bag having infoldedportions at the sides constituting gussets, the end portions of the bagwalls, including said gussets, being brought together at the top in flatrelation, primary fastening means securing said end portions inbagclosing position. the said end portions, carrying said primaryfastening means, being then folded over, and a sealing strip bondingsaid folded-over portion to the adiacent bagwall.

3. Means for closing the mouth of a begcomprisingasealingstripstraddiingthesamaleid strip having relativelylong and shortskirts cemented to opposite sides of the bag, the

said strip proiectingbeyond the side edges of the bag and being foldedaround the same thereonmeanssimulstingaciomretabofsheet material,andalsohavinmwlthintheareaofmeh simulatedclosuretahamerkdsnningadiagonallineofsevmncealongwhichlinetheeornerof video pouringopening.

5.;Apackegecomprisinga'fiexiblebeg,the-endportionsofthebagwallsbeingbroughttogethervatthetopinfietrelatimatransverse'rcwof festeningmeansseeuringssidend thefolded end of cut off tOJI'O-"M cured together being then folded over,ends sealing strip said foidedm end por- Joim a. ream.

ol-om in'lo .bag-ciosing'position, said end portion time so-

